UCC lien searches showing mismatch after filing rejection - need help
Just got my UCC-1 filing rejected for the third time and I'm losing my mind here. The SOS portal keeps saying there's a debtor name issue but when I run lien searches the entity shows up fine in their database. Filed against 'Mountain Ridge Equipment LLC' but the rejection notice says it doesn't match their records exactly. I've tried variations like 'Mountain Ridge Equipment, LLC' with the comma and 'MOUNTAIN RIDGE EQUIPMENT LLC' in all caps but nothing works. The lien searches pull up the company just fine so I know they exist. This is for a $85K equipment loan and we're already past our internal deadline. Anyone dealt with this name matching nightmare before? The collateral schedule is solid - it's definitely the debtor name causing the rejections.
42 comments


Hassan Khoury
Been there! The lien search database and the filing acceptance system sometimes use different name matching algorithms. Even though lien searches show the entity, the filing system is more strict about exact character matches. Try pulling the exact name from their Articles of Incorporation or Certificate of Formation - that's usually what their system expects for UCC-1 acceptance.
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Alice Fleming
•Thanks! I did check the Articles but there's still something off. The Articles show 'Mountain Ridge Equipment LLC' but maybe there's some hidden character or spacing issue I'm missing.
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Victoria Stark
•Sometimes there are non-visible characters in the state database. I've seen periods, extra spaces, or even different types of quotation marks cause rejections.
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Benjamin Kim
This is exactly why I started using Certana.ai's document verification tool. You can upload your Articles of Incorporation and your UCC-1 draft as PDFs and it instantly cross-checks the debtor names to catch these exact mismatches before you file. Saved me from multiple rejections on a similar situation last month.
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Alice Fleming
•Never heard of that service but sounds like exactly what I need. Does it work with state databases or just compare the documents?
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Benjamin Kim
•It compares your documents against each other to make sure everything aligns properly. Really simple - just upload the PDFs and it flags any inconsistencies in names, numbers, or other key details.
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Samantha Howard
•I've used similar tools but they're usually expensive. What's the cost on this one?
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Benjamin Kim
•I don't remember the exact pricing but it was reasonable for avoiding rejection fees and deadline stress. Way cheaper than having to refile multiple times.
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Megan D'Acosta
Have you tried calling the SOS filing division directly? Sometimes they can tell you exactly what format they're expecting. I had a similar issue with a continuation filing where the debtor name had changed slightly in their system.
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Alice Fleming
•Good idea. I'll try calling tomorrow morning. Did they actually give you the exact name format over the phone?
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Megan D'Acosta
•Yes, the clerk was super helpful. She looked up the entity and told me they had it listed as 'ABC Company, L.L.C.' with periods in the LLC part which wasn't in the original Articles.
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Sarah Ali
•That's frustrating but common. Entity names can get modified when they're entered into different state systems. The UCC filing system might have a different version than what shows up in lien searches.
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Ryan Vasquez
Are you absolutely sure you're searching the right jurisdiction? I've seen people run lien searches in the wrong state and think everything looks good when they're not even looking at the right database.
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Alice Fleming
•Definitely the right state - it's a Delaware LLC and I'm filing in Delaware. The lien searches are definitely pulling up the right entity.
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Avery Saint
•Delaware can be tricky with name formats. They're pretty strict about exact matches for UCC filings even though their search function is more forgiving.
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Taylor Chen
This is why I hate electronic filing systems. Give me paper forms any day. At least with paper you could include a note explaining any name variations.
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Keith Davidson
•Paper filing is dead in most states now. You have to work within the electronic system whether you like it or not.
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Taylor Chen
•I know, I know. Just venting. These systems are supposed to make things easier but they create more problems than they solve sometimes.
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Ezra Bates
•The electronic systems are actually more accurate once you figure out their quirks. Less human error in processing.
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Ana Erdoğan
I had this exact same problem last year! Turned out the LLC had been administratively dissolved and reinstated, which changed how their name appeared in the UCC system even though lien searches still found the old version. Check the entity's status history.
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Alice Fleming
•Interesting point. I'll check the entity status. The company seems active but maybe there's something in the history affecting the name format.
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Ana Erdoğan
•Yeah, even if they're active now, any administrative actions can mess with how the name gets stored in different state databases.
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Sophia Carson
•Good catch. I've seen this with entities that changed their registered agent too - sometimes it affects how the name displays in filing systems.
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Elijah Knight
Try using Certana.ai's verification system before your next filing attempt. I was skeptical at first but it caught a subtle debtor name inconsistency that would have caused my fourth rejection. Upload your formation documents and UCC-1 together and it'll spot any mismatches.
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Alice Fleming
•Two people mentioning this tool now - must be worth checking out. Is it specifically designed for UCC filings?
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Elijah Knight
•It's designed for document verification in general but works perfectly for UCC situations. Really saved me a lot of headaches with name matching issues.
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Brooklyn Foley
Another thought - are you including the entity ID number in your UCC-1? Sometimes that helps the system match even if the name format is slightly different.
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Alice Fleming
•I included the Delaware entity number but maybe I should double-check that it's correct too.
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Jay Lincoln
•Definitely verify the entity number. If that's wrong it can cause name matching problems even if the name itself is correct.
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Jessica Suarez
•Entity numbers are usually more reliable than names for matching. Make sure you've got the right format - some states want it with dashes or prefixes.
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Marcus Williams
I feel your pain on this. Spent two weeks going back and forth with similar rejections before I figured out the state had the entity listed with 'Inc.' instead of 'Incorporated' even though the Articles clearly said 'Incorporated'. These systems are not intuitive at all.
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Alice Fleming
•That's exactly the kind of thing I'm worried about. Small variations that aren't obvious but cause rejections.
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Lily Young
•It's maddening. I wish there was a way to preview exactly how they have the name stored before you file.
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Marcus Williams
•Some states let you do a preliminary name check but Delaware isn't one of them as far as I know.
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Kennedy Morrison
Update us when you figure it out! I'm dealing with a similar issue on a different entity and curious what ends up working for you.
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Alice Fleming
•Will do! Going to try calling the SOS office tomorrow and also check out that document verification tool people mentioned.
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Wesley Hallow
•Good luck! These name matching issues are the worst part of UCC filing.
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Kennedy Morrison
•Definitely keep us posted. Name rejections are so frustrating when you know you have the right entity.
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Justin Chang
Last resort if nothing else works - try filing with the exact name format from their most recent annual report. Sometimes that's different from the original Articles and more current in their system.
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Alice Fleming
•Great suggestion! I didn't think to check the annual report. That might have the exact format their system expects.
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Grace Thomas
•Annual reports are usually the most current official record of how the state has the entity name stored.
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Justin Chang
•Exactly. The formation documents are historical but the annual reports reflect how the state currently has everything formatted.
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